Q 

Faji* 

Far  East 


Leonard^  A»  B, 

Sourvey  of  Africaj  Italy 
Japan,  Korea,  and  Southern  Asia 


SURVEY  OF  AFRICA, 
ITALY,  JAPAN,  KOREA, 
AND  SOUTHERN  ASIA 

V.Tsr  t. 


By 

A.  B.  LEONARD 

Corresponding  Secretary 


Presented  to  the  General  Committee  of  F'oreign 
Missions  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  November  lo,  1909 


BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

OF  THE 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

150  FIFTH  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK 


Survey  of  Africa,  Italy,  Japan,  Korea,  and  Southern  Asia 

By  Corresponding  Secretary  A.  B.  Leonard 

The  following  survey  has  been  prepared  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
workers  on  the  several  fields,  that  the  General  Committee  may  have  a 
view  of  the  whole  situation  as  it  is  seen  by  those  who  are  most  inti- 
mately related  to  it. 

AFRICA 

Liberia 

Additional  funds  are  needed  for  carrying  forward  the  work  in 
Liberia.  Several  buildings,  churches  and  mission  houses,  are  needed 
and  additional  missionaries  and  native  workers  are  an  absolute  neces- 
sity. The  heavy  native  population  in  the  region  known  as  Grand  Cess 
needs  very  special  attention.  A native  worker  gathered  500  members, 
but  they  are  sadly  in  need  of  proper  training.  A missionary  has 
recently  been  stationed  at  that  point  and  a most  excellent  advance  is 
being  made.  He  has  had  during  the  present  year  about  200  conversions. 
The  early  morning  prayer  meetings  are  attended  by  about  200  people 
and  his  congregations  for  preaching  services  sometimes  number  700 
persons. 

The  mission  buildings  are  wholly  inadequate.  A church  building  is 
greatly  needed.  It  is  believed  that  if  $2,000  could  be  applied  to  this 
work  by  the  close  of  another  year,  our  membership  would  number  more 
than  a thousand. 

At  another  place,  known  as  Plantation,  there  have  been  28  con- 
versions; at  Trembo,  where  a small  chapel  is  needed,  there  have  been 
15  conversions.  A chapel  could  be  provided  for  about  $250. 

A new  mission  has  been  opened  at  a point  on  the  Since  River 
ten  miles  below  our  Since  Industrial  Mission,  and  here  also  a mission 
house  is  greatly  needed.  At  Beabo,  on  the  Cavally  River,  eighty  miles 
in  the  interior,  work  was  opened  three  years  ago,  and  a native  house 
built,  but  a more  substantial  building  must  be  supplied.  Here  a con- 
siderable membership  is  being  gathered  and  a day  school  has  been 
established. 

The  native  African’s  sorest  need,  next  to  the  Christian  religion,  is 
to  learn  to  do  manual  labor  intelligently.  He  has  the  will  and  the 
physical  strength  to  do  it,  but  lacks  knowledge.  To  lead  the  native 
African  to  Christianity  increases  his  wants,  which,  without  increasing 
his  ability,  leaves  him  helpless.  The  native  African  is  the  motive 
power  of  the  continent.  There  is  plenty  of  work  to  be  done  and  no 

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Survey  of  the  Fields 


3 


one  else  to  do  it.  We  have  the  land  and  a partial  equipment  for  an 
industrial  school,  but  we  have  no  one  to  take  charge  of  it.  A man  is 
now  available  and  the  school  should  be  opened.  About  $1,500  is  needed 
for  the  salary  of  the  superintendent  and  the  necessary  equipment. 

What  is  known  as  the  De  Coursey  property,  purchased  several  years 
ago,  carried  a debt  of  $2,500,  which  has  been  reduced  to  $1,100;  this 
needs  to  be  provided  for.  Mr.  De  Coursey  died  recently,  and  his 
heirs  insist  upon  a settlement  of  the  estate.  To  avoid  annoyance  at 
least  $500  should  be  paid  on  the  balance  still  due  this  year. 

There  is  also  a balance  of  $300  against  the  mission  building  at  Green- 
ville, Sinoe  County.  These  obligations  would  have  been  cleared  off  had 
the  Board  kept  up  the  property  appropriations.  There  are  now  in 
course  of  erection  new  churches  at  four  or  five  different  places.  There 
are  two  or  three  other  places  where  the  corrugated  iron  for  buildings 
has  been  ordered. 

Bishop  Scott  asks  for  $5,000  in  addition  to  the  appropriation  for 
1909,  which  was  $15,376. 

West  Central  Africa 

Madeira  Islands : 

Our  work  here  is  principally  among  Portuguese  Roman  Catholics. 
The  growth  of  liberal  sentiment  continues,  and  it  looks  as  if  it  would  be 
but  a few  years  until  there  will  be  full  religious  liberty.  The  battle 
is  not  altogether  won  in  Portugal  and  her  colonies,  but  there  is  a steady 
advance. 

Our  work  is  in  four  centers,  the  chief  one  being  Funchal,  a city  of 
thirty  thousand  people.  The  purchase  of  a splendid  $20,000  property, 
in  the  center  of  the  city,  has  greatly  strengthened  our  work. 

The  work  among 'the  sailors  continues  to  prosper.  The  new  paper 
which  we  are  publishing,  known  as  the  Voice  of  Madeira,  is  having 
a good  circulation.  The  Sunday  school  lessons  are  being  published  in 
the  Portuguese  language,  and  are  being  used  not  only  in  our  own 
schools  in  Madeira  but  in  some  of  the  other  centers  where  we  have 
work  among  the  Portuguese  in  Africa  and  also  in  South  America. 

There  is  great  need  for  a training  school  for  boys  and  one  for  our 
girls.  There  are  earnest  calls  for  the  extension  of  our  work  in  two 
great  island  groups — the  Azores  and  the  Cape  Verde.  A missionary 
stationed  in  each  of  these  could  at  once  organize  a prosperous  work. 

Angola : 

Our  work  in  Angola  during  the  past  year  has  been  characterized  by 
a great  spiritual  quickening  among  the  missionaries  and  by  conversions 
among  the  natives  at  nearly  all  of  the  stations.  The  work  in  Angola 
has  never  seemed  more  hopeful.  We  must  go  forward  with  Cary’s 
motto,  “Expect  great  things  from  God ; attempt  great  things  for  God.’’ 

At  Loanda  the  Sunday  school  has  doubled  during  the  past  year, 
203  being  in  attendance  at  a recent  session.  The  class  room  is  packed 
full  every  Sunday  morning  at  eight  o’clock. 


4 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


Self-support  has  been  especially  emphasized  during  the  past  year. 
The  native  church  at  Loanda  has  been  giving  $17  a month,  out  of 
the  scanty  earnings  of  the  members,  for  the  support  of  a church  in 
the  interior. 

At  six  stations  in  Angola  there  have  been  public  burnings  of  idols, 
at  which  people  have  collected  their  fetishes  and  other  barbaric  emblems 
of  heathen  worship,  have  burned  them,  and  have  then  fallen  upon  their 
faces,  asking  the  missionaries  to  lead  them  to  God. 

The  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society  has  commenced  at  Loanda 
a building  to  cost  $7,500.  It  is  being  constructed  of  stone,  and  will  be 
a permanent  and  good  addition  to  our  equipment  there. 

We  are  hoping  to  begin  new  work  in  the  Lubollo  country,  where  ever 
since  Bishop  Taylor’s  time  the  way  has  been  open  to  us.  This  is  but 
one  of  the  many  calls,  loud  and  persistent,  where  the  Kimbundi  chiefs 
and  their  associates  will  give  hearty  welcome  and  will  aid  largely  in 
erecting  whatever  buildings  are  needed. 

Requests  are  coming  from  the  far  interior  for  us  to  take  not  only 
native  boys  and  girls  but  the  children  of  the  Portuguese  as  well.  In 
a very  few  years  there  could  be  two  large  training  schools,  one  for 
boys  and  one  for  girls,  and  if  tbe  initial  expense  were  met,  these  could 
be  largely,  if  not  entirely,  self-supporting.  Amount  asked  for  1910, 
$18,100;  appropriated  for  current  year,  $14,201;  increase  a.sked,  $3,899. 

East  Central  Africa 

The  growth  in  membership  and  in  native  stations  and  native  workers 
during  the  past  year  has  been  phenomenal  in  spite  of  the  small  number 
of  workers,  some  serious  governmental  complications,  and  the  usual 
difficulties  in  the  development  of  a complex  work  in  new  and  distant 
fields. 

Inhambane  District : 

In  the  Inhambane  District,  in  Portuguese  East  Africa,  there  has 
been  a great  year’s  work  accomplished. 

The  Mission  Press  at  Inhambane  has  had  a prosperous  year.  Nearly 
half  a million  pages  have  been  piiblisbed.  Printing  is  done  in  six  dif- 
ferent languages.  Papers  are  published  in  English  for  distribution 
in  America,  in  Portuguese  and  in  three  native  languages  for  use  on 
the  field,  and  occasionally  in  Swedish  for  use  in  representing  the  work 
in  the  Sweden  Conference,  which  is  supporting  two  missionaries. 
Through  the  arrangement  made  by  Bishop  Hartzell  with  the  Portu- 
guese government,  we  are  to  print  the  Sunday  school  lessons,  primary 
text-books  and  other  literature  in  the  Portuguese  language  for  the 
use  of  the  mission.  There  is  an  immediate  need  for  $1,500  to  add 
another  press  and  other  printing  equipment  to  meet  the  growing  de- 
mands for  printed  matter. 

The  complications  with  the  Portuguese  government  were  adjusted 
by  Bishop  Hartzell  last  summer,  so  that  our  71  mission  stations  in  that 
district  have  been  published  in  the  official  bulletin  of  the  province  as 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


5 


centers  for  religious  instruction,  “in  accordance  with  the  rules  and 
regulations  and  dogmas  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.”  This 
is  probably  the  first  time  that  such  an  agreement  has  been  officially 
approved  under  the  Roman  Catholic  Portuguese  flag. 

We  have  secured  a Portuguese  gentleman,  a classical  graduate  from 
a Portuguese  university,  as  one  of  our  workers.  He  has  been  soundly 
converted,  has  had  experience  in  religious  work,  and  will  be  a great 
help  in  assisting  our  missionaries  in  the  mastery  of  the  Portuguese 
language.  He  is  a member  of  a wealthy  and  prominent  Portuguese 
family. 

The  growth  in  membership  during  the  year  has  been  large.  Native 
men  come  to  Inhambane,  four  and  five  days’  journey,  bringing  re- 
quests from  native  kings  that  missionaries  be  sent  to  their  people.  We 
ought  to  have  three  more  missionaries  and  their  wives  at  once,  and 
with  these  reenforcements,  we  could  easily  take  under  our  care  and 
instruction  ten  thousand  people  and  bring  them  to  Christ  during  the 
next  four  or  five  years. 

Rhodesia  : 

The  work  among  the  English-speaking  people  in  this  colony  has 
made  steady  advance  during  the  year.  The  last  Conference  session  was 
held  in  our  English  church  at  Umtali.  Saturday  afternoon  the  citizens 
of  the  town  gave  the  bishop  and  the  Conference  a reception  in  the 
public  park,  which  was  a social  event  of  large  significance  as  indicating 
the  appreciation  of  our  work  that  is  felt  among  all  classes.  This  work 
among  the  European  English-speaking  people  is  a strong  factor  in  our 
influence  with  the  government  and  with  the  business  and  social  in- 
terests of  the  country. 

The  growth  of  the  work  among  native  Africans  continues  to  be 
encouraging.  The  cooperation  of  the  government  is  cordial  and  effect- 
ive. Grants  of  money  are  given  to  all  the  schools,  wherever  the 
proper  grades  are  maintained.  Government  inspectors  visit  all  our 
mission  schools  and  report  upon  them,  and  the  reports  thus  far  have 
invariably  been  to  our  credit.  We  are  securing  grants  of  land,  and 
up  to  date  have  over  thirty  thousand  acres,  located  in  several  strategic 
centers  extending  as  far  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  our  chief 
center  at  Umtali.  As  a rule,  these  lands  are  donated.  In  coming 
years  they  will  be  valuable,  and  each  will  be  a center  of  a large  mis- 
sionary work. 

At  Old  Umtali,  our  chief  center  of  native  work,  we  had  at  the  last 
report  120  boys  and  young  men,  and  there  were  75  girls  in  the  Woman’s 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  school.  The  boys  work  half  of  the  day  on 
the  farm.  During  the  past  year  the  entire  expense  of  maintaining  the 
boys  was  covered  by  the  income  from  farm  products.  The  Industrial 
Mission  School  received  several  premiums  for  the  finest  agricultural 
exhibits  at  the  recent  agricultural  fair.  At  another  industrial  center 
a special  silver  medal  was  given  for  raising  the  first  broom  corn  in 


6 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


that  section  of  the  continent  and  for  manufacturing  brooms.  The 
governor  of  Rhodesia  sent  a special  prize  to  the  judges  to  be  given  to 
the  exhibitor  who  had  the  best  general  exhibit  at  the  fair,  and  our 
mission  received  this  prize  also. 

The  school  at  Old  Umtali  is  thoroughly  graded,  and  there  are  depart- 
ments for  the  training  of  teachers  and  Christian  workers.  The  regular 
instruction  is  in  harmony  with  the  government  regulations,  while  for 
the  preparation  of  our  religious  workers  we  have  special  courses  in 
training  for  Christian  teaching  and  preaching.  In  the  girls’  school 
there  is  also  training  in  industrial  and  Christian  work.  We  are  making 
one  hundred  thousand  bricks  for  a new  building  for  the  boys’  training 
school. 

The  work  at  the  out-stations,  some  of  them  more  than  a hundred 
miles  distant  from  Umtali,  is  growing  in  strength  of  organization  and 
efficiency.  Recent  reports  from  the  government  officials  who  have 
visited  the  schools  are  favorable. 

In  Rhodesia  we  have  the  same  experience  as  in  the  other  colonies ; 
native  chiefs  are  sending  to  us  from  long  distances  and  asking  us  to 
establish  work  in  the  midst  of  kingdoms  of  thirty  and  forty  thousand 
people  where  the  gospel  has  never  been  preached.  The  native 
population  as  a whole  in  this  section  of  Africa  is  not  as  large  as  that 
for  example  in  Zululand,  further  south.  But  with  good  government 
and  better  conditions  there  is  being  repeated  what  has  occurred  in 
sections  to  the  south : the  native  population  is  rapidly  increasing. 
From  every  standpoint  the  work  in  this  part  of  Africa  is  exceedingly 
hopeful,  and  with  an  increased  number  of  workers  and  better  facilities 
multitudes  can  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ. 

The  last  session  of  the  East  Central  Africa  Mission  Conference  was 
the  best  since  the  opening  of  the  work  in  Rhodesia.  Ten  years  ago 
this  part  of  the  continent  had  one  Methodist  Episcopal  missionary,  a 
few  native  members,  and  no  property.  The  last  report  showed  22 
missionaries,  137  native  workers,  3,956  full  members  and  probationers, 
77  Sunday  schools  and  5,113  scholars,  67  churches  with  a valuation  of 
$46,045;  93  day  schools  with  3,156  pupils  enrolled,  and  a total  property 
valuation  of  $176,380.  The  increase  in  membership  and  in  enrollment 
at  day  and  Sunday  schools  during  the  past  fourteen  months  has  been 
fifty  per  cent.  The  growth,  while  phenomenal  for  a new  field,  is 
healthy  and  there  has  been  everywhere  a conservative  estimate  in  the 
recognition  of  members.  Amount  asked  for  1910,  $20,065;  appro- 
priated for  current  year,  $16,065 ; increase  asked,  $4,000. 

American  Mission  in  North  Africa 

The  developments  of  the  work  in  North  Africa  show  that  God  is 
still  providentially  leading.  The  chief  event  during  the  last  year  was 
the  appointing  of  the  Rev.  Edwin  F.  Frease,  D.D.,  for  twenty  years  an 
efficient  missionary  in  India,  as  the  superintendent  of  our  mission 
work  in  North  Africa.  He  has  entered  with  enthusiasm  upon  his  work. 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


7 


in  Algiers  we  have  over  250  girls  and  women,  mostly  Mohammedans, 
under  our  instruction  and  care.  Evangelistic  work  has  also  been 
commenced  in  the  city.  The  immediate  need  in  Algiers  is  for  mis- 
sionaries to  organize  a French  church.  We  have  in  view  a man  and 
wife,  masters  of  the  French  and  of  one  or  two  other  languages,  who 
are  ready  to  take  up  this  work  when  the  money  is  available. 

Outside  Algiers  the  people  in  Algeria,  among  whom  are  the  greatest 
openings  for  immediate  and  future  successes,  are  the  Kabyles,  who 
number  eight  or  nine  millions.  In  one  section  of  the  mountainous 
region,  where  some  independent  missionaries  from  England  have 
developed  a good  work  but  are  not  organizing  churches,  these  mission- 
aries have  offered  to  us  several  converted  and  trained  Kabyle  workers. 
Doctor  Roesch  is  in  that  field  and  is  already  preaching  in  the  Kabyle. 
With  Doctor  Roesch  and  these  native  workers  the  missionary  activity 
among  these  Kabyles  ought  to  develop  with  larger  rapidity  than 
in  most  Mohammedan  work.  It  is  our  plan  to  select  the  most  strategic 
center  in  that  field  and  enter  upon  the  work  which  will,  without 
much  doubt,  prove  one  of  great  significance  and  success.  It  looks 
as  if  it  is  through  these  Kabyles,  descendants  from  an  early  Christian 
population,  people  who  are  at  present  Mohammedans,  that  our  greatest 
work  in  North  Africa  is  to  be  done. 

In  Tunis,  the  work  is  well  established.  We  have  a Bible  depot, 
regular  services,  and  careful  visitation  among  nearly  one  hundred 
families  to  whom  we  have  access.  There  should  be  at  once  at  least 
two  new  missionaries  to  occupy  strategic  centers  which  have  already 
been  investigated  and  to  which  we  are  called. 

This  brief  statement  gives  an  inadequate  conception  of  the  signifi- 
cance of  this  movement  of  Methodism  to  do  her  share  in  winning 
to  Jesus  North  Africa  with  its  ninety-one  per  cent  Mohammedan  popu- 
lation. Careful  investigation  leads  Bishop  Hartzell  and  Dr.  Frease  to 
conclude  that  in  the  movement  to  win  the  Kabyles  in  North  Africa 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  attacking  the  most  vulnerable  and 
strategic  place  in  the  Mohammedan  North  Africa  stronghold. 

The  Board  has  made  no  appropriations  for  this  work.  Bishop  Hart- 
zell was  authorized  to  open  it  two  years  ago,  and  it  has  been  main- 
tained through  special  gifts  secured  by  him.  He  asks  the  General  Mis- 
sionary Committee  for  an  appropriation  of  at  least  $5,000. 

ITALY 

The  most  pressing  need  of  our  work  in  Italy  is  our  property  debt, 
especially  the  debt  on  the  Rome  building.  A strong,  determined  effort 
to  remove  this  obligation  should  be  made  at  the  earliest  possible  mo- 
ment. It  would  be  a real  boon  if  the  General  Committee  could  decide 
to  appropriate  a fixed  amount  toward  this  debt  annually  for  a series 
of  years,  or  until  it  is  entirely  extinguished. 

Another  urgent  need  is  our  theological  school  at  Rome.  Our  mis- 
sion is  suffering  at  the  present  time  because  of  the  practical  suspen- 


8 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


sion  of  this  scliool  during  recent  years.  It  was  reopened  last  autumn 
and  an  unusually  promising  class  of  young  men  entered  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fall  term.  The  number  of  students  is  restricted.  Only 
those  giving  highest  promise  of  service  are  accepted.  More  funds 
are  needed  for  salaries  of  teachers  and  support  of  students. 

The  work  in  Italy  has  been  greatly  affected  by  the  earthquake  at 
Messina.  This  disaster  caused  great  suffering  and  distress  to  many 
thousands  of  people  and  aroused  the  deepest  sympathy  of  our  congre- 
gations. Hence  the  chief  activity  has  been  charity  among  their  own 
people.  Three  thousand  orphans  were  left  destitute  and  many  of  them 
have  come  from  Protestant  families.  Quite  a number  of  these  have 
been  taken  into  our  different  schools.  Notwithstanding  these  distrac- 
tions from  the  ordinary  course,  the  work  has  gone  on  and  there  have 
been  a number  of  conversions.  At  the  Annual  Conference  it  was  re- 
ported that  there  were  765  persons  now  on  probation,  which  by  no  means 
represents  the  total  number  of  conversions.  The  increase  in  full 
membership  was  185 ; 70  deaths  occurred  during  the  year,  an  unu- 
sually large  number.  More  than  ever  before  members  of  our  congre- 
gations both  north  and  south  are  emigrating  to  America,  so  that  the 
church  in  Italy  is  constantly  contributing  to  the  strength  of  the  church 
in  America.  There  are  2,142  scholars  in  our  Sunday  schools,  an  in- 
crease of  160.  The  Conference  has  appointed  a special  secretary  for 
Sunday  school  work,  and  particular  attention  is  being  paid  to  the 
development  of  this  branch  of  the  work. 

The  total  amount  contributed  by  Italians  for  the  support  of  the  work 
in  Italy  this  year  is  $4,144,  and  the  benevolent  collections  amount  to 
$3,280,  making  a grand  total  of  $7,387.60,  or  an  average  of  $2.45  per 
member.  A committee  was  appointed  at  the  last  Conference  to  study 
the  problem  of  self-support,  and,  every  effort  will  be  made  during  the 
year  to  develop  more  rapidly  than  heretofore  the  resources  of  our 
congregations. 

A profound  sensation  was  produced  last  December  by  the  conversion 
of  Professor  S.  F.  Sforzini,  a Catholic  priest,  canon  of  the  cathedral 
at  Macerata,  editor  in  chief  of  the  Review  of  Reviews  of  the  Catholic 
clergy.  On  the  evening  when  he  gave  his  first  address  in  our  church 
in  Rome,  announcing  the  reasons  for  his  conversion,  the  building  was 
crowded  with  an  audience  of  a thousand  people.  Copious  extracts  of 
his  address  were  published  in  the  principal  papers  of  Rome.  Professor 
Sforzini  impressed  all  who  have  met  him  as  a man  of  unusual  power 
and  ability.  He  is  now  in  the  theological  school  as  a student,  and  is 
preparing  himself  to  take  an  active  part  in  our  work  in  Italy. 

Signor  Dardi,  superintendent  of  the  Adriatic  District,  has  been  devot- 
ing himself  especially  to  temperance  work.  In  the  course  of  three 
months  more  than  350  women  came  to  him  for  advice  concerning 
members  of  their  families.  The  pledge  was  signed  by  77  men,  26 
women,  and  17  boys  over  ten  years  of  age.  The  educational  work  goes 
well.  Upon  the  whole  the  outlook  for  the  work  in  Italy  is  hopeful. 


Survey  of  the  Fields  9 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $75,070;  appropriated  for  1909,  $55>3i2; 
increase  asked,  $19,758. 

JAPAN 

The  attitude  of  the  Japanese  people  toward  the  gospel  is  very  favor- 
able. There  is  no  opposition  by  Buddhist  or  Shintoist,  but  a marked 
imitation  of  Christian  methods  of  activity  and  assimilation  of  Chris- 
tian ideas.  The  Bible  and  Christian  books  have  a wide  circulation. 
The  Anglo-Japanese  alliance  and  new  treaties,  and  the  good  under- 
standing with  America,  directly  and  powerfully  influence  the  whole 
nation  toward  Christianity.  The  Japan  Methodist  Church  is  now  two 
years  old.  The  two  Annual  Conferences  have  each  met  twice.  Bishop 
Honda  has  demonstrated  his  ability  as  a leader,  preacher,  evangelist, 
and  educator.  In  these  two  years  3,313  have  been  baptized  and  some 
churches  have  become  self-supporting.  The  increase  of  contribu- 
tions is  very  encouraging.  The  evangelistic  spirit  is  also  active.  The 
native  churches,  including  the  Methodist,  are  asking  the  mother 
churches  for  additional  missionaries.  The  development  of  the  work 
not  only  taxes  all  the  native  workers  but  overburdens  the  missionaries. 
The  new  understanding  as  to  evangelists  and  their  relation  to  the  native 
church,  whereby  they  can  develop  new  work  and  look  after  weak 
charges,  is  working  admirably.  The  American  Board  Mission  asks 
for  twenty  families ; the  Canada  Methodist  Mission  has  requested  six- 
teen families.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  has  done  like- 
wise, and  our  West  Japan  Conference  asks  for  reenforcements  in  the 
same  proportion.  It  is  claimed  that  the  mission  of  the  mother  churches 
in  Japan  is  to  help  the  new  church  fulfill  its  duty  in  the  evangelization 
of  the  nation.  At  the  end  of  the  first  half  century  the  Methodist 
Church  of  Japan  can  claim  one  fourth  of  the  Protestant  Christians  and 
two  fifths  of  the  schools  arid  pupils  in  Japan,  and  a first  place  in  educa- 
tional affairs.  The  total  number  of  Methodists  in  Japan  is  16,301. 

Bishop  Harris  says : “At  this  time  special  consideration  should  be 
given  to  the  conditions  of  South  Japan.  Kagoshima  is  vacant,  and 
there  is  not  one  missionary  in  South  Kiushiu.  In  Loochoo  Dr. 
Schwartz  is  alone.  Ten  new  families  are  needed  for  Kiushiu  and 
Loochoo.  In  Korea  one  family  is  needed  for  the  Japanese  Mission. 
There  are  now  about  150,000  Japanese  in  Korea.” 

The  schools  are  flourishing  and  approximately  providing  two  thirds 
of  their  own  support,  foreign  teachers  not  counted.  But  these  schools 
greatly  need  further  aid.  A school  with  five  hundred  students  requires 
a larger  missionary  force  to  do  the  foreigner’s  work  and  to  hold  the 
school  steady  to  Christian  ideals  than  did  the  same  school  when  it  had 
two  hundred  students.  The  schools  of  no  other  mission  in  the  land 
attract  greater  attention  or  can  have  higher  grade  results  than  ours. 
But  we  are  falling  behind  the  government  schools  in  equipment. 

Our  Publishing  House  in  Tokyo  is  the  only  institution  of  the  kind 
and  grade  supported  as  a mission  enterprise  in  the  country,  and  com- 
mands to  some  extent  the  patronage  of  all  other  missions  of  this  field. 


lO 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


reaching  into  Korea  and  Formosa.  It  is  approved  and  rejoiced  over 
because  it  is  a Christian  institution,  doing  $50,000  worth  of  business 
yearly.  But  it  has  many  non-Christian  competitors  backed  with  large 
capital.  The  institution  greatly  needs  financial  assistance  from. the 
home  church.  If  provision  is  not  made,  its  life  will  be  sapped  and  it 
will  be  either  killed  or  driven  into  merely  commercial  lines  of  work. 
The  taxes,  insurance,  and  repairs  of  the  mission  property  throughout 
Japan  must  be  kept  up  or  great  loss  will  be  sustained.  Last  year  the 
press  had  only  $200,  and  this  year  it  could  have  nothing.  Relief  must 
come  from  some  source.  It  is  hoped  that  this  General  Committee  will 
be  able  to  furnish  the  needed  assistance. 

East  Japan.  Amount  asked  for  1910,  $52,619;  amount  received  for 
1909,  $39,896;  increase  asked,  $12,723. 

IVcst  Japan.  Amount  asked  for  1910,  $48,415;  amount  received  for 
1909,  $22,604;  increase  asked,  $25,811. 

KOREA 

The  question  of  division  of  territory  between  the  Presbyterians  and 
our  mission  has  finally  been  determined  to  the  mutual  satisfaction  of 
all  concerned.  The  new  arrangement  will  end  all  reduplication  and 
overlapping  and  stop  waste,  and  hasten  the  evangelization  of  the 
country.  Our  mission  must  now  occupy  adequately  its  territory  and 
vie  with  our  Presbyterian  brethren  in  taring  for  our  respective  fields. 
We  have  one  missionary  to  32,063  population;  they  have  one  to  30,172. 
Their  total  force  is  116  missionaries,  while  ours  is  63.  They  have 
3,500,000  people  to  care  for  and  we  have  2,000,000.  The  Catholics  and 
Anglicans  are  not  parties  to  this  arrangement.  The  only  fear  is  that 
our  church  may  not  be  able  to  maintain  a force  large  enough  to  care 
for  this  large  population.  The  spirit  of  unity  and  mutual  helpfulness 
is  regarded  as  almost  ideal.  The  union  college  and  academy  at  Pyeng- 
yang  closed  its  best  year  last  June.  Under  the  new  constitution  there 
have  been  harmony  and  most  satisfactory  results.  This  institution 
enrolls  about  four  hundred  pupils,  all  of  whom  are  Christians  and  most 
of  them  workers.  The  theological  class  conducted  formerly  by  the  two 
Methodist  Episcopal  Missions  has  been  largely  attended.  This  coming 
year  the  class  will  be  given  four  solid  months  of  training.  The  whole 
number  under  instruction  is  160. 

Our  day  schools  number  194,  with  5,728  pupils.  There  is  a universal 
demand  for  Christian  education.  The  school  buildings  have  for  the 
most  part  been  built  by  native  Christians. 

There  are  597  churches  organized,  and  only  323  buildings  for  wor- 
ship, leaving  274  congregations  unhoused.  The  past  year  has  been 
notable  for  ingatherings.  The  total  number  of  baptisms  was  4,788, 
while  more  than  20,000  are  being  prepared  for  baptism.  The  total 
number  of  enrolled  members,  probationers,  and  inquirers  is  43,814. 

The  prompt  action  of  the  Board  authorizing  the  outgoing  of  mission- 
aries and  the  increase  of  the  appropriations  last  year  by  $10,000  by  the 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


II 


General  Committee  met  a crisis  and  saved  our  mission  from  disaster. 
For  1910,  Korea  calls  for  at  least  ten  additional  families,  and  after  that 
gradual  reenforcements.  The  relation  of  the  authorities  to  our  work 
is  most  cordial  and  helpful.  During  the  year  all  mission  schools  have 
been  carried  on  under  the  rules  of  the  educational  department  of  the 
government,  and  have  been  granted  entire  freedom  to  read  the  Bible 
and  Christian  books. 

Bishop  Harris  says : “The  conditions  are  now  entirely  favorable. 
Law  and  order  are  enforced.  The  people  move  nearer  the  kingdom 
yearly.  Confucianism  is  dead.  Buddhism  is  dead.  Only  their  worship 
of  spirits  lives.  But,  thank  God,  the  people  are  poor  in  spirit  and  ready 
to  possess  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  contributions  last  year 
amounted  to  65,000  yen,  or  $32,500.” 

SOUTHERN  ASIA 
North  India 

The  North  India  Conference  takes  in  that  part  of  India  lying  north 
of  the  Ganges  River,  which  extends  through  the  mountains  to  Tibet.  It 
includes  the  great  pilgrim  roads  to  the  many  mountain  shrines  to  which 
the  people  from  all  over  India  go  to  worship.  An  important  part  of 
the  work  of  the  North  India  Conference  is  to  reach  these  people 
as  they  go  and  come,  and  thus  there  is  opportunity  to  spread  the  gospel 
far  and  wide.  The  work  extends  along  the  borders  of  Tibet,  where 
there  is  a community  of  Christians.  They  work  among  the  pilgrims 
and  traders.  The  traders  are  largely  from  Tibet;  they  camp  on  their 
journeys  to  the  plains  with  their  merchandise,  and  our  workers  teach 
them  Christianity  and  distribute  among  them  Christian  literature  in 
the  Tibetan  language.  Thus  they  are  sending  the  gospel  into  all  parts 
of  what  is  sometimes  called  the  closed  land,  and  a number  of  Tibetans 
have  been  baptized.  All  the  great  centers  where  our  missionary  work 
originally  began  are  within  the  bounds  of  this  Conference,  such  as 
Bareilly,  Budaun,  Moradabad,  Shahjahanpur,  Lucknow,  and  Sitapur. 
In  this  Conference  there  are  11,256  Christian  children  of  school  age, 
of  whom  5,652  are  in  school.  For  1909  the  amount  sp'ent  on  day 
schools  was  $5,173,  and  on  boarding  schools  $5,727,  and  both  of  these 
sums  need  to  be  materially  increased. 

They  ask  for  building  purposes  as  follows:  Bishop  Parker  Memorial 
High  School,  Moradabad,  $5,000;  Bareilly  Theological  Seminary,  $5,000. 

For  two  years  the  trustees  have  been  urging  the  necessity  of  new 
dormitories  for  the  Bareilly  Theological  Seminary,  both  on  account  of 
health  considerations  and  the  urgent  need  of  increased  accommodations. 
Bishop  Warne  during  his  recent  visit  to  America  was  able  to  secure 
pledges  for  a large  part  of  the  sum  needed  for  the  erection  of  a hostel 
for  unmarried  students. 

They  also  ask  for  $5,000,  with  which  the  erect  a church  at  Shahja- 
hanpur. This  was  estimated  for  last  year  but  could  not  be  appropri- 
ated. The  need  for  a church  in  this  place  is  very  great. 


12 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


There  are  very  encouraging  openings  among  the  people  known  as  the 
Chamars  and  the  Sainsiyas  in  Oudh,  the  latter  a strong  and  rugged 
people  who,  because  of  their  propensity  toward  brigandage,  have  been 
kept  under  strict  surveillance  by  the  government.  They  make  splendid 
Christians  when  converted. 

The  growth  elsewhere  has  been  more  than  normal.  The  workers  are 
limited  only  by  their  resources.  This  Conference  contains  most  of 
the  institutions  of  our  church  in  North  India,  and  thus,  although  their 
roll  of  missionaries  seems  large,  a considerable  proportion  are  doing 
work  which  benefits  other  Conferences  as  much  as  their  own;  yet  the 
expense  falls  on  this  Conference,  and  to  that  extent  uses  up  funds 
which  could  otherwise  be  used  in  evangelistic  work,  to  which  only  ten 
of  the  missionary  force  can  devote  their  time  exclusively. 

A special  plea  is  made  for  an  appropriation  of  $S,ooo  to  supply  the 
needs  of  the  Bishop  Parker  Memorial  High  School.  The  most  im- 
mediate and  pressing  need  of  the  school  just  now  is  in  connection 
with  the  boarding  department,  that  is,  dormitories  for  Christian  boys. 
The  present  boarding  house  is  very  small  and  can  accommodate  only 
about  120  boys,  although  they  have  crowded  into  it  150,  and  even  as 
high  as  160,  and  they  have  turned  away  from  100  to  160  boys  every 
year  for  the  last  three  or  four  years.  Besides,  the  present  boarding 
house  is  in  the  native  city,  and  is  located  in  such  a wa'^  ‘i-’at  there  is 
no  room  for  expansion,  and  the  boys  are  exposed  to  the  influences  of 
the  bazaar,  which  are  very  bad.  The  buildings  now  occupied  are  poor 
and  not  fit  for  human  habitation.  They  were  built  years  ago  and  have 
been  crumbling  here  and  there,  so  that  repairs  are  very  difficult.  It  is 
proposed  to  erect  a building  three  hundred  feet  long  the  city 

where  it  will  be  impossible  for  bazaar  influences  to  reach  the  boys.  The 
cost  of  this  building  will  be  $25,000.  They  desire  to  build  not  merely 
for  the  present  but  for  the  future.  It  is  important  that  the  building 
shall  be  far  enough  along  to  be  occupied  by  next  July.  They  cannot 
depend  upon  the  government  for  anything.  The  importance  of  the 
school  is  not  likely  to  be  overestimated.  A community  of  30,000  Chris- 
tians look  to  the  school  for  the  education  of  their  boys,  and  the  parents 
are  beginning  to  realize  more  than  ever  before  the  real  value  of 
education.  Amount  asked  for  1910,  $88, coo;  received  for  the  current 
year,  $62,200;  increase  asked  $25,800. 

Northwest  India 

The  Northwest  India  Conference,  in  addition  to  having  a large 
share  of  the  United  Provinces,  includes  the  great  states  of  Rajputana 
and  the  Punjab,  with  many  important  centers.  The  Punjab  has  a 
population  of  about  25,000,000,  or  five  times  the  population  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  This  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  ripest  fields  for 
missionary  work  to  be  found  anywhere,  and  yet  in  it  we  have  but  one 
district.  Last  year  there  were  2,682  baptisms,  and  this  after  most  care- 
ful selection  of  candidates.  At  the  end  of  1908  there  were  14,100 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


13 


Christians  in  the  Punjab,  most  of  whom  have  been  gathered  into  our 
church  during  the  past  five  years.  In  all  sections  of  the  country  people 
are  coming  to  us  for  teachers.  A native  preacher  declared  to  his 
superintendent  that  he  could  bring  a thousand  converts  before  the 
ensuing  District  Conference  would  meet.  There  is  a vast  mass  move- 
ment among  the  people  known  as  the  Chamars,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Delhi.  There  are  at  present  over  3,000  under  instruction,  2,000  of 
whom  could  be  baptized  at  once  if  we  could  promise  them  schools  for 
their  children.  We  cannot  finance  even  the  primary  schools,  that 
would  for  the  present  suffice. 

In  the  part  of  the  Punjab  where  our  work  lies  there  are  648,200 
Chamars  and  a population  of  1,026,300  Churhas  (sweepers),  all  of 
whom  are  not  only  accessible  but  moving  toward  Christianity.  The 
same  can  be  said  of  Meerut,  Roorkee,  and  Muzaffarpur  Districts, 
where  there  are  Chamars  numbering  10,000,000.  To  give  an  idea  of 
the  kind  of  Christians  these  people  make,  the  district  superintendent 
reports  that  at  one  point  where  a number  of  people  were  seeking 
baptism,  having  promised  never  again  to  worship  idols,  drink  spiritu- 
ous liquors,  or  give  their  children  in  marriage  to  non-Christians,  they 
were  asked  if  they  were  aware  of  the  persecutions  that  awaited  them, 
and  were  reminded  of  instances  where  persons  had  been  beaten  to 
death,  and  were  informed  that  a like  fate  might  be  in  store  for  them^ 
they  were  asked  whether  they  could  endure  it  all,  and  they  answered, 
yes,  saying  they  knew  all  about  it  and  they  would  not  forsake  their 
faith  no  matter  what  persecutions  might  befall  them. 

In  another  place  where  murrain  had  broken  out  among  the  cattle, 
which  was  attributed  to  the  wrath  of  the  village  idol  because  these 
villages  refused  to  pay  it  the  usual  homage,  about  fifty  of  the  Inquirers 
were  seized  and  tied  and  mercilessly  flogged,  they  rejoicing  that  they 
were  worthy  to  know  the  fellowship  of  His  sufferings.  In  another 
neighborhood  there  are  eighteen  villages  in  which  Christian  inquirers 
are  living,  at  least  200  of  whom  were  ready  for  baptism.  Pointing  to 
a picture  of  Jesus  washing  the  disciples’  feet,  the  native  pastor  said: 
“That  is  what  we  are  doing.”  When  asked  to  explain  he  said:  “You 
see,  sir,  many  Brahmans  and  other  high-caste  people  visit  me,  and  when 
they  see  this  picture  they  taunt  me  with  the  word,  ‘You  never  do  such 
lowly  work.’  My  reply  is,  that  is  exactly  our  work.  You  claim  that 
the  Brahmans  spring  from  the  mouth  of  Brahma,  the  Chaltris  from 
the  arms,  the  Bishias  from  his  thighs,  and  the  Sudras  from  his  feet. 
Well,  we  are  making  India’s  feet  clean.” 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $57,339 ; amount  received  for  the  current 
year,  $31,625;  increase  asked,  $25,714. 

Bombay 

In  this  Conference,  with  its  vast  opportunities  and  unbounded  scope 
for  evangelization  among  more  than  30,000,000  people,  there  were  over 
1,300  baptisrns  last  year.  Twenty  years  ago  an  accession  of  such  4 


14 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


number  to  the  Christian  community  would  have  been  a startling  feature 
of  its  statistics,  but  the  number  is  smaller  than  usual,  considerably 
below  that  of  some  previous  years,  owing  to  a depleted  missionary  force 
and  insufficient  support  for  the  work. 

The  work  in  the  Bombay  Conference,  which  spread  so  rapidly  in  the 
90’s  and  during  the  opening  years  of  the  present  century,  has  reached 
a stage  in  its  development  in  which  it  is  taxing  the  faith,  patience, 
and  wisdom  of  the  missionaries  to  the  very  utmost.  The  widespread 
mass  movement  in  the  northern  section  of  the  Conference  some  years 
ago  struck  the  comparatively  new  mission  before  it  had  become 
equipped  with  sufficient  strength  and  resources  to  provide  adequately 
for  such  a movement.  It  was  weak  in  comparison  with  northern  India 
by  reason  of  its  lack  of  experienced  ministers  and  trained  Indian 
workers.  And  at  the  time  the  movement  began  there  was  in  exist- 
ence no  proper  provision  for  developing  it  on  sound,  healthy  lines. 
The  missionaries,  few  in  number,  nobly  rose  to  the  occasion.  They 
took  hold  of  raw  material  and  worked  it  into  a fairly  efficient  evangel- 
istic force.  The  area  of  rapid  expansion  was  affected  more  or  less 
injuriously  by  successive  periods  of  famine  and  plague.  In  a single 
recent  year  the  plague  carried  off  some  1,400  Christians  in  one  district, 
but  the  work  of  thoroughly  Christianizing  a mass  of  18,000  or  19,000 
people  just  out  of  the  horrible  pit  of  gross  heathenism  went  on. 

From  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Bombay  Conference  in  1892 
its  appropriations,  by  some  misunderstanding,  fell  below  the  proportion- 
ate amount  to  which  as  a Conference  it  was  entitled.  So  from  the  be- 
ginning it  was  handicapped  financially.  Then  came  the  readjustment 
of  the  finances  of  the  Indian  empire,  by  which  the  purchasing  power 
of  one  dollar  was  reduced  by  nearly  twenty-five  per  cent.  Add  to 
this  the  successive  blows  inflicted  by  famine  and  plague,  and  the  fact 
that  no  appropriations  for  building  were  available,  and  it  is  easy  to  see 
that  the  missionaries  were  sorely  embarrassed.  Appropriations  insuffi- 
cient for  the  ordinary  work  of  the  Conference  before  the  mass  move- 
ment became  lamentably  inadequate  to  provide  for  the  great  ingather- 
ing. Every  dollar  of  the  appropriations  that  could  possibly  be  spared 
was  devoted  to  the  care  of  the  thousands  of  new  disciples,  the  support 
of  evangelists,  pastors,  teachers,  etc. 

In  administering  the  Conference  finances  it  became  an  increasing 
battle  with  chronic  insufficiency.  The  missionaries  believed  that  times 
would  improve.  They  felt  sure  that  help  would  come.  They  consid- 
ered that  they  owed  it  to  the  church  whose  servants  they  were  to  care 
sufficiently  for  the  work  which  had  so  wonderfully  developed  on  their 
hands.  As  no  appropriations  for  erection  of  schools,  churches,  chapels, 
preachers’  houses,  and  other  needed  buildings  were  available,  they  felt 
justified  in  organizing  a special  board  to  secure  land,  to  erect  needed 
buildings,  and  place  the  work  on  something  of  a satisfactory  basis. 
Hence  the  Conference  has  been  obliged  to  incur  considerable  indebted- 
ness. Unfortunately,  the  hopes  of  the  missionaries  have  not  been 


Survey  of  the  Fieujs 


15 


realized.  Special  gifts  for  support  of  workers  and  orphans  have  been 
withdrawn;  appropriations  have  not  materially  increased.  No  grants 
for  property  have  been  available.  The  missionary  force  has  been 
decreased.  Special  gifts  have  fallen  off  and  workers  and  orphans  have 
been  left  without  support.  Institutions  are  being  closed,  property  is 
being  sold,  and  work  as  successful  and  as  promising  as  any  under  the 
direction  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  in  any  part  of  the  world  is 
steadily  crippled  for  lack  of  financial  help. 

In  view  of  all  these  untoward  circumstances  it  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  say  that  the  Bombay  Conference  stands  badly  in  need  of  a substan- 
tial increase  in  its  appropriation.  In  the  great  city  of  Bombay  with  its 
million  inhabitants  our  church  has  but  a solitary  missionary  engaged 
in  vernacular  work.  The  Board  does  not  own  a single  building  of  any 
kind  in  Bombay.  Pending  the  arrival  of  increased  appropriations,  the 
missionaries  have  struggled  hard  to  help  themselves;  but  they  have 
come  to  the  end  of  their  ability.  As  already  stated,  the  Conference 
from  the  date  of  its  organization  has  suffered  special  disadvantages. 
It  needs  every  dollar  that  is  asked.  A single  institution,  the  Nadiad 
Technical  and  Engineering  Institute,  probably  the  very  best  of  its  kind 
in  all  India,  ought  to  have  about  half  of  the  whole  appropriation  to 
care  for  its  valuable  work.  Professor  Beach,  of  Yale,  who  recently 
visited  that  institution,  declares  it  is  the  best  of  its  kind  that  he  has 
seen  in  any  mission  field.  It  is  being  starved  to  death,  and  its  indebted- 
ness will  crush  it  unless  help  is  forthcoming.  The  possibilities  in  the 
Bombay  Conference  are  without  limit.  Our  church  has  gotten  a good 
grip  on  the  whole  territory.  With  reenforcements  and  a suitable 
increase  in  appropriations  they  could  secure  an  unrivaled  position  in 
western  India. 

The  debts  of  this  Conference  give  the  missionaries  very  serious 
concern.  One  difficulty  is  that  valuable  mission  property,  most  useful 
for  our  purposes,  is  often  valueless  to  the  public,  and  would  not  realize, 
if  sold,  anything  like  the  amount  expended  originally.  This  does  not 
apply  to  the  large  cities  but  is  largely  true  of  buildings  owned  in  the 
smaller  stations  in  the  country.  Omitting  the  Thoburn  House  in 
Bombay,  which  is  on  a different  basis  from  our  mission  property  in 
general,  the  last  audited  balance  sheet  shows  the  following  interesting 
figures;  Total  value  of  real  estate  owned  by  the  mission  exclusive  of 
church  property  held  by  English  Church  trustees  573,815  rupees 
($191,272).  Total  liability  against  same,  for  which  the  mission  is  re- 
sponsible to  banks  and  private  parties,  330,954  rupees  ($110,318).  Ex- 
cess value  of  assets  over  liabilities,  242,861  rupees  ($80,954).  Their  total 
loans  payable  amount  to  331,530  rupees  ($110,510).  About  one  third  of 
these  loans  have  been  obtained  from  banks,  the  remaining  two  thirds 
from  private  parties.  Two  of  our  mission  properties  in  Bombay  would 
probably  realize  enough  if  sold  to  pay  the  loans  from  the  bank.  There 
is,  however,  no  probability  of  being  pressed  for  payment  unless  a panic 
were  to  set  in,  when  the  position  of  the  Finance  Committee  would  be 


i6 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


serious  indeed.  The  estimated  value  of  the  Thoburn  house  is  250,000 
rupees  ($83,333),  with  an  indebtedness  of  187,000  rupees  ($62,333). 
It  is  more  than  paying  its  way,  even  though  they  pay  10,000  rupees 
($3>333)  per  annum  for  interest,  and  the  debt  is  being  slowly  reduced 
and  gives  no  concern.  What  gives  real  concern  is  the  large  loans  that 
have  been  made  to  erect  mission  houses,  schools,  churches,  etc.,  with 
the  hope  that  the  home  church  would  help  repay  these  loans  in  the 
near  future.  It  is  because  the  fondly  cherished  hope  of  financial  relief 
is  not  realized  that  there  is  serious  alarm.  They  are  compelled  to  go 
on  paying  heavy  interest.  As  long  as  the  appropriations  cannot  spare 
a penny  from  the  support  of  the  current  work  the  only  thing  they 
can  do  is  to  keep  on  adding  interest  to  principal,  thus  constantly 
increasing  the  indebtedness,  while  the  prospect  of  relief  from  the 
church  at  home  grows  no  brighter.  The  missionary  force  is  inadequate 
to  the  work  and  the  present  force  is  being  depleted.  They  do  not 
dare  to  ask  for  reenforcements.  The  development  of  the  work  is  being 
sadly  affected. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $96,134;  amount  received  for  the  current 
year,  $22,775;  increase  asked,  $73,359. 

Souths  India 

South  India  embraces  the  Madras  Presidency,  with  its  tributary 
states  of  Hyderabad  and  Mysore,  and  the  Belgaum  District  of  the 
Bombay  Presidency.  The  area  is  265,000  square  miles,  and  the  popula- 
tion over  60,000,000. 

The  promising  work  of  this  great  Conference  is  carried  on  in  four 
different  vernaculars:  Tamil,  Telugu,  Kanarese,  Hindustani.  The  last 
is  exotic  in  Southern  Asia,  but  the  ruler  of  the  Hyderabad  State  and 
most  of  the  officials  are  Mohammedans,  whose  language  is  Hindustani. 
It  is  among  the  Telugus  and  the  Kanarese  that  the  great  advance  in 
recent  years  has  been  made.  On  the  Raichur  and  Belgaum  Districts 
large  numbers  of  Kanarese  people  have  come  over  to  Christianity,  and 
are  still  coming.  The  paucity  of  yvorkers  and  the  lack  of  funds  compel 
the  missionaries  to  go  slowly,  otherwise  it  would  be  possible  to  baptize 
thousands  of  these  simple-hearted,  earnest  Kanarese  villagers,  where 
hundreds  now  receive  the  ordinance.  Truly  in  sections  of  this  Con- 
ference the  harvest  is  ripe  as  well  as  great.  But,  alas ! the  laborers  are 
few.  In  the  Hyderabad  District  alone,  where  the  work  at  first  moved 
slowly  but  where  God  is  blessing  abundantly  at  the  present  time,  in 
three  years  the  Christian  community  has  more  than  trebled,  increas- 
ing from  1,402  in  1906,  to  5,240  in  September,  1909.  The  increase  in 
the  last  year  was  about  seventy  per  cent.  Baptisms  in  1906  numbered 
268,  and  in  nine  months  of  the  present  year  2,086.  Pupils  in  day 
schools  rose  from  455  to  850.  The  total  contributions  for  all  purposes 
advanced  from  5,916  rupees  to  8,680  rupees  and  the  value  of  all 
property  exclusive  of  indebtedness  from  155,550  to  232,318  rupees. 

An  encouraging  feature  of  the  work  in  South  India  is  the  willing- 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


17 


ness  of  the  people  to  hear  the  gospel  message.  Christian  tracts  and 
gospel  portions  are  widely  distributed  and  eagerly  received.  Acces- 
sions are  mostly  from  the  lowest  caste;  in  some  places  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  each  succeeding  year  will  witness  a breaking 
down  of  barriers,  so  that  circuits  which  have  up  to  the  present  yielded 
comparatively  meager  fruits  are  certain  to  witness  great  ingatherings. 

The  immediate  needs  of  this  Conference  are  occasion  for  very  serious 
embarrassment.  The  lack  of  missionary  residences  in  stations  such 
as  Hyderabad,  Secunderabad,  Bangalore,  and  Madras,  is  a serious 
handicap.  It  means  that  heavy  rents  must  be  paid  which  might  be 
used  to  send  out  evangelists  among  the  people,  and  provide  for  orphans 
and  students  in  our  institutions.  Persistent  effort  for  self-develop- 
ment and  help  on  the  field  are  not  wanting,  and  the  Conference  as 
a whole  is  giving  increased  attention  to  this  important  matter.  One 
of  the  most  notable  successes  of  the  past  year  has  been  that  of  the 
Madras  Publishing  House.  Besides  meeting  all  of  its  current  expenses 
it  has  paid  a large  amount  of  interest,  and  has  substantially  reduced 
its  debt.  The  local  Publishing  Committee  has  recommended  that  an 
effort  be  made  to  raise  some  $50,000  to  erect  a new  block  of  buildings 
on  the  valuable  site  owned  by  the  press,  which  would  be  a source  of 
income  through  all  the  future. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  Baldwin  Boys’  High  School  at 
Bangalore,  generally  regarded  as  one  of  the  very  best  of  its  class  in 
all  India.  A splendid  addition  to  this  fine  plant  has  been  made  during 
the  year  in  the  shape  of  a large  three-story  building  known  as  Oldham 
Hall,  which  greatly  increases  the  facilities  for  caring  for  the  large 
number  of  boarders  who  patronize  the  institution.  If  the  remaining 
debt  on  this  .fine  property  could  be  wiped  off  and  a modest  endowment 
provided,  the  school  could  go  forward  to  still  larger  success. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $48,547;  amount  received  for  1909,  $23,775; 
increase  asked  $24,772. 

Central  Provinces 

This  Conference  with  its  practically  unlimited  possibilities  is  just 
beginning  to  find  itself.  Comprising  many  millions  of  unevangelized 
people  within  its  own  territory,  it  lies  strategically  favorable  for  large 
conquests  because  of  its  central  position.  Through  its  territory  run 
the  great  trunk  railroads  to  the  Punjab,  the  United  Provinces,  and 
Bengal.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  is  suitably  located  for  wide- 
spread advance  in  the  near  future.  Jubbulpore  on  the  north,  Khandwa, 
Barhanpur,  and  Sironcha  on  the  south  and  west,  and  Nagpur,  Raipur, 
and  Jagdalpur  on  the  east  are  centers  from  which  ripe  harvest  fields 
and  fruitful  territories  may  be  reached  with  ease.  But  its  little  force  of 
less  than  a dozen  missionaries  face  a work  opening  before  them  far 
too  vast  for  their  efforts  and  resources.  During  the  past  year  there 
were  some  700  baptisms,  and  the  number  of  Christians  passes  the  5,000 
mark,  having  doubled  itself  in  five  years.  More  than  2,400  youths  are 
being  educated  in  our  boarding  and  day  schools,  and  over  6,500  are 


i8 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


instructed  in  Sunday  school.  The  value  of  property  has  risen  from 
503,318  rupees  to  518,854  rupees,  on  which  there  is  an  indebtedness  of 
22,620  rupees.  The  total  raised  for  self-support  and  all  benevolences 
advaiiced  from  13,203  rupees  to  14,008  rupees. 

Among  the  happenings  of  the  year  was  the  retirement  of  Dr.  T.  S. 
Johnson  after  an  unbroken  missionary  service  of  forty-six  years.  As 
a careful  financier  and  successful  administrator  he  has  had  few  equals 
in  our  entire  missionary  force.  His  retirement  has  left  a vacancy  not 
easy  to  fill.  During  the  past  few  years  he  has  done  double  work, 
superintending  two  districts,  and  for  a time  acting  as  mission  treasurer. 
Dr.  Johnson  has  the  distinction  of  being  named  the  “property  getter.” 

The  death  of  the  Rev.  C.  B.  Ward  left  an  extensive  mission  work 
unprovided  for,  which  occasions  considerable  embarrassment.  As 
an  independent  missionary,  Brother  Ward  held  a somewhat  anomalous 
relation  to  the  mission.  He  was,  however,  a loyal  Methodist  and  a 
member  of  the  Conference,  and  although  he  went  to  the  field  as  one 
of  the  Bishop  William  Taylor  self-supporting  missionaries  he  became 
a recognized  missionary  under  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  He 
rendered  signal  service  as  a pioneer,  and  as  his  work  was  supported 
mainly  from  outside  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  his  death  led  to 
the  withdrawal  of  support  and  considerable  financial  confusion.  The 
property  left  is  reported  to  have  cost  150,000  rupees.  There  is  a debt 
of  about  66,000  rupees.  The  several  properties  were  held  by  Brother 
Ward  in  the  name  of  the  Transit  and  Building  Fund  Society.  Last 
year  the  Board  offered  to  take  over  the  indebtedness,  provided  the 
Finance  Committee  would  consent  to  charge  the  annual  interest  to 
the  appropriations  of  the  Central  Provinces  Conference.  But  the 
Finance  Committee  could  not  see  its  way  clear  to  adopt  the  plan,  as 
their  appropriations  are  not  large  enough  to  carry  forward  the 
regular  work.  Something  ought  to  be  done  to  save  this  property,  as 
it  is  very  valuable.  If  the  General  Committee  should  advise  the 
Board  to  advance  the  sum  needed,  allowing  it  to  run  three  years  with- 
out interest,  it  is  probable  that  the  debt  might  be  provided  for. 

The  needs  of  this  vigorous  Conference  are  many  and  urgent.  Several 
additional  missionaries  ought  to  be  speedily  provided  to  fill  vacancies 
and  relieve  overworked  men.  The  doors  stand  wide  open,  but  funds 
and  workers  are  lacking. 

The  sum  of  $5,000  for  the  new  high  school  building  at  Narsinghpur 
should  be  provided  at  once  to  meet  the  most  inviting  opportunity,  an 
opportunity  that  will  slip  away  unless  we  avail  ourselves  of  it  speedily. 

The  East  Ohio  Conference  has  pledged  $10,000  to  establish  a Biblical 
Institute  for  the  training  of  native  preachers,  as  a memorial  to  Bishop 
Thoburn.  A number  of  students  are  already  enrolled  and  systematic 
instruction  began  some  months  ago.  No  feature  of  the  work  is  more 
important  than  the  training  of  workers  so  that  they  may  be  wise 
winners  of  souls  and  builders  of  the  church.  Any  one  of  the  four 
districts  of  this  Conference  could  easily  distribute  the  whole  appro- 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


19 


priation  within  its  bounds.  On  every  hand  buildings  are  needed  to 
carry  on  the  institutional  work  that  gives  permanency  and  strength 
to  the  operations  of  the  mission. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $38,332;  amount  received  for  1909,  $17,131; 
increase  asked,  $21,201. 

Bengal 

The  extent  of  territory  embraced  in  the  Bengal  Conference  has  not 
been  affected  by  the  recent  political  division  of  this  great  province  into 
two — Bengal,  and  Eastern  Bengal  and  Assam.  The  population  of  this 
great  and  needy  mission  field  in  northeastern  India  is  about  equal 
to  that  of  the  United  States,  85,000,000.  Of  this  vast  host  not  less 
than  15,000,000  depend  for  their  evangelization  upon  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  within  the  bounds  of 
this  single  Conference  there  is  a Mohammedan  population  of  over 
23,000,000  of  fairly  accessible  people  were  our  church  prepared  to 
take  up  the  work  among  them  in  real  earnest.  Some  districts  of  the 
Conference  are  the  most  densely  populated  on  the  face  of  the  globe, 
ranging  from  900  to  970  to  the  square  mile.  Through  the  fertile  plans 
of  Bengal  the  mighty  Ganges  winds  its  ever-widening  way  to  the 
sea,  and  from  our  northerly  mission  outpost,  Darjeeling,  magnificent 
views  of  the  loftiest  mountains  in  the  world  are  obtainable.  Three 
of  the  greatest  industries  of  India  find  largest  development  in  Bengal 
— coal,  jute,  and  tea.  Calcutta,  the  stately  capital,  rapidly  becoming 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  the  Eastern  world,  is  the  seat  of 
the  imperial  government  and  also  of  the  government  of  Bengal.  Its 
million  of  inhabitants  are  among  the  most  intellectual  and  highly 
educated  people  of  the  empire. 

Several  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  missionary  force  of  the  Con- 
ference have  occurred  during  the  year  through  furlough  and  transfer. 
Important  readjustments  have  been  made  in  the  management  and 
work  of  the  Methodist  Publishing  House,  and  measures  are  now  under 
consideration  for  broadening  the  scope  and  improving  the  financial 
basis  of  the  educational  work  in  Calcutta  and  Darjeeling,  which  it  is 
hoped  will  largely  increase  its  efficiency.  Our  official  paper,  the  Indian 
Witness,  has  recently  taken  on  new  strength  and  retains  its  position 
as  the  leading  missionary  organ  of  the  empire.  The  extensive  build- 
ings erected  in  the  metropolis  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the 
Rev.  D.  H.  and  Mrs.  Ada  Lee  add  greatly  to  the  facilities  for  the 
effective  training  of  workers.  Thoburn  Church,  home  of  the  English- 
speaking  congregation,  is  bravely  endeavoring  to  measure  up  to  its 
great  opportunities.  Wholly  self-supporting,  it  reaches  out  a helping 
hand  in  numerous  directions.  Collins  Institute,  with  which  the  Theo- 
logical Training  School  is  closely  connected,  has  had  a year  of  con- 
tinued prosperity.  When  all  the  plans  for  its  equipment  are  realized 
Collins  Institute  will  be  a tower  of  strength  to  the  work  of  our  Mis- 
sion in  Bengal.  Gratitude  is  due  to  Mr.  Robert  Laidlaw,  M.P.,  for 
his  munificent  contributions  to  the  educational  work  among  Anglo- 


20 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


Indians  and  Eurasians,  a needy  community  all  too  largely  neglected. 
Measures  have  been  taken  to  place  this  work  on  an  altogether  better 
footing.  It  is  hoped  that  the  government  and  the  British  public  will 
support  the  movement  for  improvement.  The  transfer  of  the  Union 
Church  at  Darjeeling  to  the  care  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
carries  with  it  sundry  important  advantages. 

So  far  as  widespread,  aggressive,  successful  evangelistic  effort 
among  the  masses  of  the  people  is  concerned,  the  Tirhoot  District  has 
yielded  the  most  encouragement  during  the  year.  In  this  thickly 
populated  region  large  communities  have  been  touched,  and  hundreds 
have  been  gathered  into  the  Christian  fold,  many  of  them  coming  up 
out  of  great  tribulation  and  proving  their  sincerity  by  the  fierce  per- 
secutions endured.  Accessible  castes  in  this  district,  numbering  many 
thousands  of  souls,  are  certain  to  become  Christians  in  the  near  future 
if  we  take  hold  of  them  in  time.  But  here,  as  in  many  other  places, 
the  funds  to  support  evangelists  and  teachers  to  instruct  these  waiting 
peoples  are  not  forthcoming. 

As  is  well  known,  Bengal  has  been  the  fans  et  origo  of  the  serious 
political  agitation  of  the  past  three  or  four  years.  Here  have  been 
hatched  the  anarchist  plots  and  here  have  been  manufactured  the 
deadly  bombs.  But  with  the  exception  of  a few  sporadic  cases  of 
local  trouble  between  Hindus  and  Christians,  destitute  of  any  real 
significance,  no  deliberate  hostility  to  Christianity  has  been  manifested. 
The  time  is  particularly  opportune  for  aggressive  advance  in  Bengal. 
Would  that  it  were  possible  to  enable  the  loyal  band  of  Methodist 
missionaries  in  that  fair  province  to  do  all  that  is  in  their  hearts ! The 
estimate  for  1910  is  properly  considerably  in  advance  of  what  they 
receive  this  year. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $27,025;  appropriated  for  1909,  $17,025; 
increase  asked,  $10,000. 

Burma 

There  are  at  present  but  four  missionaries  in  Burma  supported  by 
the  appropriations  made  by  this  General  Committee.  Two  missionaries 
are  supported  almost  entirely  by  their  own  work.  For  several  years 
the  Finance  Committee  has  been  asking  for  an  increase  in  the  staff  of 
missionaries,  but  the  request  has  not  been  granted.  By  the  end  of 
1910  some  of  the  missionaries  will  be  entitled  to  furlough,  which  will 
leave  the  work  badly  crippled  unless  new  missionaries  are  sent  out  so 
that  they  may  have  an  opportunity  to  get  acquainted  with  the  situa- 
tion before  the  experienced  missionaries  leave  the  field. 

The  educational  work  of  the  mission  is  better  cared  for  than  the 
. evangelistic.  They  now  have  1,260  pupils,  involving  an  expenditure  of 
nearly  $10,000,  of  which  only  $250  is  from  the  appropriations.  These 
schools  furnish  a fruitful  field  for  evangelism.  Most  of  them  are 
self-supporting  so  far  as  running  expenses  are  concerned,  and  some 
are  badly  in  need  of  funds  for  building  and  equipment.  A site  and 
$700  have  been  granted  by  the  government  for  the  school  at  Syriam, 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


21 


and  probably  $500  can  be  raised  locally,  but  these  sums  will  lapse 
unless  they  can  be  supplemented  with  an  additional  $2,000  from  the 
appropriations.  The  evangelistic  department  of  the  work  is  regarded 
as  being  the  most  important.  Their  greatest  problem  is  the  develop- 
ment of  a native  ministry,  not  an  easy  task  at  best,  but  exceedingly 
difficult  of  accomplishment  without  the  resources  for  a training  school. 
They  very  greatly  need  an  additional  missionary  residence,  for  which 
they  ask  the  sum  of  $3,000.  The  religion  of  the  Burmese  is  of  a higher 
grade  than  that  of  most  non-Christian  people,  and  they  are  also  more 
intelligent,  which  fact  seems  to  make  it  more  difficult  to  displace  their 
present  faith  and  bring  them  to  acknowledge  their  need  of  the  atone- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $31,423;  amount  received  for  1909,  $10,025; 
increase  asked  for  1910,  $21,398. 

MALAYSIA 

The  Malaysia  Conference  spreads  over  the  entire  Malay  peninsula, 
with  a population  of  2,000,000,  the  island  of  Sumatra  with  a population 
of  4,000,000,  Java  with  a population  of  32,000,000,  and  Borneo  with  a 
population  of  4,000,000.  Of  this  territory  the  Malay  peninsula,  with  the 
islands  of  Singapore  and  Penang,  is  fairly  well  equipped  and  mission 
stations  are  found  at  regular  intervals.  In  Sumatra  there  is  but  one 
mission  station,  at  Palembang,  a town  twelve  miles  long  located  on  both 
sides  of  a river.  The  population  is  very  mixed — Chinese,  Malays,  Arabs, 
Tamils,  and  a few  Dutch.  A school  operated  in  all  these  languages  is 
carried  on  and  the  prospect  of  success  is  encouraging.  Negotiations 
are  in  progress  with  the  Dutch  government  for  a recognition  of  our 
school  work. 

In  Java  we  occupy  a territory  containing  about  2,000,000  people,  with 
a single  mission  station  outside  of  that  territory,  the  nucleus  of 
3,000,000  more.  The  mission  stations  extend  from  Batavia,  the  capital, 
to  Surabaya,  the  chief  commercial  port. 

In  Borneo  our  missions  are  in  Sarawak,  a country  governed  by  an 
Englishman.  There  are  four  districts — Penang,  the  Federated  Malay 
States,  Singapore,  and  Netherlands  Indies.  In  the  first  three  districts 
there  is  a chain  of  Anglo-Chinese  schools  holding  about  four  thousand 
boys  and  young  men.  These  schools  are  entirely  self-supporting,  not 
a cent  of  missionary  money  being  invested  either  in  the  plant  or  salaries, 
and  from  these  schools  is  going  a continuous  stream  of  comparatively 
well-educated  youths,  all  of  whom  are  filled  with  Christian  ideas,  and 
many  of  whom  are  being  baptized.  These  schools  hold  a position 
among  the  Chinese  outside  the  Chinese  empire  equal  to  that  held  by 
any  school  among  the  Chinese  within  the  empire.  A profound  impres- 
sion is  being  made  upon  the  Chinese  people  through  this  agency. 
Several  of  these  youths  are  now  in  China  holding  important  positions. 

Another  feature  of  this  work  is  the  Chinese  colonies,  consisting  of 
Christians  imported  from  the  poorest  part  of  Southern  China  to  the 


22 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


comparatively  rich  lands  of  Malaysia.  These  colonies  are  prospering, 
and  the  high  teaching  of  civilization  is  being  illustrated  in  their  conduct. 
The  opening  of  great  rubber  estates  is  bringing  a very  large  popula- 
tion from  India,  and  while  we  are  doing  what  we  can  among  these  the 
situation  calls  for  an  increase  of  agencies. 

There  is  an  urgent  call  for  missionaries ; our  numbers  should  be 
added  to  by  at  least  two  married  couples.  The  Netherlands  Indies 
District  is  new  work,  but  is,  perhaps,  the  most  promising  evangelistic 
field  in  the  Conference. 

In  Borneo  there  is  as  fine  a specimen  of  agricultural  missions  as  may 
be  found  in  Methodism.  One  thousand  Chinese,  whose  numbers 
will  rapidly  double,  to  be  followed  by  an  ever-increasing  stream,  are 
finding  comfort  and  prosperity  in  the  rich  alluvial  lands  of  Borneo, 
and  here  at  least  is  an  area  in  which  no  Chinaman  smokes  opium  or 
drinks  spirits,  but  where  every  family  is  at  least  nominally  Christian 
and  Methodist.  Another  missionary  skilled  in  industrial  work,  to 
plant  a similar  industrial  school  as  well  as  to  help  in  religious  teaching, 
is  needed.  “In  five  years,”  Bishop  Oldham  says,  “this  mission  will 
carry  itself.” 

In  Java  ninety-six  per  cent  of  the  people  are  Mohammedan,  and 
so  Methodism  meets  Islam  with  the  direct  claims  of  the  gospel.  We 
have  already  baptized  more  Moslems  in  Java  than  in  any  purely 
Moslem  field  of  similar  type  of  Moslems  on  earth.  Recently  Bishop 
Oldham  visited  the  mission  and  preached  in  Malay  to  a large  company, 
among  whom  were  Mohammedans,  and  had  the  privilege  of  baptizing 
several  of  these  on  an  intelligent  profession  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
Java  needs  a medical  missionary,  with  a small  hospital,  and  provision 
for  giving  practical  training  to  all  whom  we  prepare  as  preachers  and 
deaconesses.  There  is  promise  of  an  early  movement  such  as  has 
not  yet  been  witnessed  in  any  purely  Mohammedan  land.  In  West 
Borneo  there  has  been  a remarkable  movement.  Here  is  a colony  of 
cocoanut  growers,  and  among  these  over  400  have  been  enroll^  in  the 
membership  of  the  church.  The  Dyak  and  some  savage  Bugis  arc 
being  taught  by  these  colonists,  and  the  promise  in  western  Borneo  is 
large.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  any  mission  area  with  more  fasci- 
nating problems,  economic,  social,  and  religious,  than  Malaysia.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  writing  in  actual  history  such  a volume 
of  high  Christian  endeavor  among  these  mixed  races  as  will  make  a 
permanent  contribution  to  the  world’s  history. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $32,818;  amount  received  for  the  current 
year,  $21,380;  increase  asked  for  1910,  $11,438. 

The  Philippines 

The  Methodist  section  of  the  Philippines  is  the  greater  part  of  the 
northern  end  of  the  island  of  Luzon,  from  Manila  to  Aparri,  which 
lies  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cagayan  valley,  the  great  tobacco-growing 
district  of  the  island. 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


23 


There  are  three  districts — Manila,  Central,  and  Northern.  These 
hold  a population  of  2,000,000.  The  success  of  our  mission  has  been 
very  great.  The  statistics  show  a membership,  including  probationers, 
of  29,910.  Nor  does  the  movement  abate.  Contrary  to  our  forecast, 
the  people  seem  as  willing  to  hear  as  ever,  and  larger  numbers  are 
to  be  found  at  the  services  than  in  the  earlier  days.  Mere  curiosity 
has  passed  away,  and  the  abiding  hunger  for  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
seems  to  deepen.  In  Manila  there  are  three  large  churches  and  a 
number  of  small  chapels.  Recently  on  a Sunday  evening  3,500  people 
were  to  be  found  in  these  places  of  worship,  and  at  the  big  church  at 
Cervantes,  and  in  the  next  largest  one  at  Tondo,  150  were  bowed  at 
the  altar  seeking  pardon  for  their  sins. 

The  year  has  been  marred  by  the  Zamora  defection,  which  took  with 
it  two  of  our  Conference  men  and  several  local  preachers,  with, 
perhaps,  one  thousand  members.  It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the 
membership  is  about  as  large  now  as  it  was  before  the  defection.  At 
latest  report  a successful  revival  meeting  was  in  progress  and  the 
people  were  coming  to  Christ  by  scores  every  week.  In  the  Manila 
District  a serious  attempt  for  the  evangelization  of  the  Zambales  Prov- 
ince has  been  entered  upon  through  the  generosity  of  Dr.  Dick  and 
Mr.  Bohrnstedt  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 

In  Manila  is  located  the  Florence  B.  Nicholson  Bible  Seminary, 
where  the  Methodists,  United  Brethren,  and  Presbyterians  unite  in 
training  native  preachers.  The  experiment  has  so  far  been  a great 
success.  There  is  now  a student  body  of  51,  two  thirds  of  whom 
are  Methodists.  The  Seminary  will  presently  seek  regular  official 
sanction  as  a joint  seminary  for  all  evangelical  missions  in  Luzon  and 
as  a possible  beginning  of  a university  movement  which  will  also 
seek  to  include  all  the  Protestant  bodies.  The  Woman’s  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society  has  two  prominent  institutions — the  Harris  Memorial 
Deaconess  Training  School  and  the  Mary  Johnston  Memorial  Hospital. 

The  Central  District,  with  1,000,000  people,  of  whom  15,000  are 
Methodists,  is  in  some  regards  the  most  promising  field  in  all  our 
work.  If  its  missionary  force  could  be  doubled,  this  district  alone 
would  produce  an  added  membership  of  from  5,000  to  10,000  a year. 
There  are  now  three  missionaries  and  a district  superintendent — four 
men  for  over  one  million  people. 

The  Northern  District,  comprising  the  provinces  of  Pangasinan, 
Ilocos  Sur,  and  the  great  Cagayan  valley,  is  one  of  the  most  inviting 
territories  in  all  the  foreign  mission  work.  The  Ilocano  is  perhaps  the 
best  man  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  while  the  Pangasinan  is  found  in 
such  numbers,  and  is  so  comparatively  free  from  Roman  ascendency, 
that  it  is  absolutely  true  that  our  progress  is  only  conditioned  by  the 
number  of  our  workers.  Here  we  have  four  missionaries,  one  of  whom 
is  also  the  district  superintendent,  and  is  in  poor  health.  The  district 
is  hard  to  travel  and  these  men  are  overburdened.  No  word  of  com- 
plaint is  heard  from  their  lips,  but  their  worn  and  spent  condition  cries 


24 


Survey  of  the  Fields 


out  for  help  in  that  part  of  Asia  where  alone  the  stars  and  stripes  are 
afloat.  These  two  millions  of  people  have  been  given  to  us  to  evan- 
gelize. What  we  fail  to  do  no  other  nation  can  attempt. 

The  needs  in  the  Philippines  are  first,  more  men,  three  more  at  least. 
A mission  house  is  needed  in  the  Cagayan  valley,  one  in  Vigan,  one 
in  Malolos,  and  one  in  Zambales.  A hospital  is  needed  in  Dagupan 
Province,  hostels  for  high  schools,  an  industrial  school  for  hoys  at 
five  provincial  centers  and  $S,000  a year  for  the  printing  of  free  liter- 
ature. Bishop  Oldham  says:  “If  we  are  to  attack  our  job  here  in 
earnest  and  keep  faith  with  God  who  has  given  us  these  people  as  he 
has  given  us  no  other  people  in  foreign  lands,  we  must  at  least  double 
our  work.” 

Special  mention  should  be  made  of  our  press  in  Manila,  which  was 
founded  in  1901.  From  a few  hundred  pounds  of  type  and  necessary 
tools  it  has  grown  to  six  presses  under  an  American  manager,  with 
forty  Filipino  workmen  employed.  It  now  has  a business  house,  sales- 
room, book-binding  department,  photo-engraving  department,  compos- 
ing room,  a press  room,  with  a business  approximating  $1,000  monthly. 
In  eight  years  it  has  become  one  of  the  best  publishing  houses  of 
Methodism  in  the  foreign  field.  It  is  now  sending  out  tracts  and  book- 
lets printed  in  six  languages  and  amounting  to  millions  of  pages 
annually.  It  is  printing  and  distributing  the  Philippine  Christian 
Advocate  in  five  languages,  issuing  60,000  copies  with  5,000  pages 
annually.  It  is  printing  and  circulating  the  monthly  Sunday  school 
lessons  in  four  languages,  and  is  also  printing  literature  for  the  Pres- 
byterian Mission,  the  United  Brethren  Mission,  the  Christian  Mission, 
the  Episcopal  Mission,  the  American  Bible  Society,  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  and  the  Bible  House  in  Los  Angeles.  For 
the  latter  was  issued  recently  an  edition  of  50,000  64-page  booklets, 
illustrated  Bible  stories,  being  verbatim  selections  from  the  Scriptures. 
This  edition  alone  contained  3,200,000  pages.  The  psospects  are  bright 
for  the  future.  The  house  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  business 
concerns  of  Manila,  and  is  located  in  the  heart  of  the  business  district 
in  a building  valued  at  $18,000.  Millions  of  people  speaking  many 
languages  are  eager  to  receive  all  the  literature  that  can  be  sent  out. 
The  building  needs  to  be  paid  for.  They  also  need  money  for  new 
machinery  consisting  of  a medium-size  cylinder  press,  a power  perfor- 
ator, a new  punching  machine,  and  a ruling  machine.  They  greatly 
need  five  thousand  pounds  of  body  type  and  two  thousand  five  hundred 
pounds  of  job  type.  They  are  in  great  need  of  funds  to  assist  in  paying 
the  expenses  of  the  Philippine  Christian  Advocate,  issued  in  four 
dialects.  The  profits  from  job  work  are  all  needed  to  pay  expenses. 
Recently  the  Publishing  Committee  was  compelled  to  cut  down  ex- 
penses on  the  Advocates. 

Amount  asked  for  1910,  $53,655;  amount  received  in  1909,  $25,900; 
increase  asked,  $27,755. 


